Brice Cutrer Jones built Sonoma-Cutrer into one of America's most acclaimed Chardonnay producers over 25 years, planted more than 1,000 acres of estate vineyards, and earned a place in Burgundy's Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. Then in 1999 he sold it — and immediately started over with a single new goal: to make the finest Pinot Noir in California.

He purchased Hallberg Ranch in Sebastopol, partnered with legendary vineyard manager Kirk Lokka, and founded Emeritus Vineyards with Burgundy as his north star. The name was chosen deliberately — "emeritus" means to earn through service. Today Emeritus farms over 140 acres across two estate vineyards — Hallberg Ranch and Pinot Hill — making it the largest dry-farmed Pinot Noir estate in Sonoma County, and possibly all of California. Forbes calls it one of the Russian River's most accomplished Pinot Noir producers.

Emeritus is all Pinot Noir, all estate, all dry farmed — a rare combination that defines everything the winery produces. Dry farming stresses the vines, deepens the root systems, and concentrates flavor in ways that irrigated viticulture simply can't replicate. Kirk Lokka pioneered the transition to dry farming at Hallberg Ranch beginning in 2007, inspired by friendships with Burgundy growers, and Pinot Hill followed the next year.

Winemaker Keith Hammond — a Sebastopol native who first joined Emeritus in 2007 — took over as head winemaker in 2023 after training under three of his predecessors, including a stint at Inglenook working alongside Philippe Bascaules, the managing director of Château Margaux. His approach is graceful and restrained: native yeast fermentations, reduced toast levels, cold stabilization, and block-by-block selection to produce a range of single-vineyard bottlings that show the full range of Hallberg Ranch and Pinot Hill.

Brice Cutrer Jones founded Emeritus and remains its spiritual anchor as Founder Emeritus. His daughter Mari Jones serves as President, overseeing all aspects of the winery with a collaborative, community-first approach — she's also on the boards of the Russian River Valley Winegrowers and Russian River Valley Pinot Forum, and was named one of the North Bay Business Journal's 40 Under 40 in 2022. Keith Hammond leads winemaking. Riggs Lokka, son of Kirk, serves as Vineyard Manager — a second generation now stewarding the same land his father helped plant. Hilary Berkey, a Certified Sommelier and WSET Diploma holder with two decades of wine industry experience, directs sales, marketing, and operations.